Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-06-10
An ola settlers Rcmembrances,

Mr. S W McSlaster of this city has writ
ten the following communication to the
Chicago Daily Be,1s on that SUBJECT which
always attracts interest-the weather.
Rock ISLAND, ILL.,, June 81 notice
there is a controversy between some of
your old settlers as TO the date of the
memorable cold and snowy winter Friend
Phil How're is mistaken in his date. On
the 18th day of November, 1912, | was
living at Galena. Ill., On the afternoon
of that day ] shipped quantity OF lead
for New Orleans, The weather was
mild, but within thirty-six hours the Mis-
sissippi was closed from Galena to ST.
Louis. The boat laid up at Rock Island
for the winter. BY the 18th snow had
fallen fifteen inches. aud kept on falling
at intervals all winter until late in March.
The cold ranged in March up to the 25th
from 10 To % degrees below zero. Nav
igation did not open on the Mississippi
till near The 1st Of NAV. My oldest child
was born in November, 1912, which fixes
the date in my mind beyond doubt. So
much for The snowy WINTER of 1912 8
As long as | am giving my "reminiscences
OF the past, | may as well go back TO my
first arrival in the northwest | landed
in Galena in June 1888, having come ali
the way by water from Little Falls, n. Y
In July, 1884, | took trip to your city
| started in one of [. d. Winters stages
The second day out We were obliged 10
take an open wagon. owing to the bad
state OF the roads from the heavy rains
When We came to the sloughs We all had
to get out and wade. We had one lady
with Us, and we ferried her over BY two
of us crossing hands | think we were
three or four days In making the trip
The prairie this side of Chicago for nine
miles was crossed on corduroy road, run
ming through what looked to me like
a lake marsh We landed in Chi
caoo late at night, and could
get no bed, as everything was full owing
to the great rush attending the sale of
canal lands. DR.. Addison Phlleo, who
conducted newspaper Mt the time of the
Blackhawk war IN Galena, was with us.
He took me 10 Gen. Thorton's office. one
of the canal commissioners | slept on a
rough bench, or tried to, while the doctor
and general grumbled until morning.
went to the only hotel of any size in the
mornmg-the New York house-wbich
stood on the site of the Sherman 1t was
kept by one McConister. an Irishman.
He told me when | inquired if he could
keep me that could have my meals al
| the house, but he wohld have to send mt
over the river To the Lake house. and tina,
| would have to shape on the fIeur, OF
prairie tithers. When the dinner hour
came | found procession 200 feet long
waiting for the opening of the dinniug
| room. MCCcnister stood on guard at The
door and kept calling out TO the crowd a.
| they tried TO get past him: Don't rush
gint!cmen For Gods sake don't rush
ginllemen. But they kept on rushing
all The same. have often thought Macs
words were prophetic-Ch icagoans have
continued to rush, rush, ever since.
! was ferried over the river, now the
present site of the Rush street bridge, il
small boat or canoe-fare ten cents.
The bed was tick filed with praire
| feathers with one brown domestic sheet
| but the weather was warm--doors an(
windows not yet put in. The town wa
full of people, men from all the eastern
| states. who even at that early day seemed
to appreciate the future OF your greal
city. There was a good deal of excite
ment growing out of the attempt of out
siders to bid on the claims of the settlers
but the settlers rights were generally re
spected. Yours, respectfully,
S. W. MCMAsTER